Wellbutrin and medications

During the three weeks I was using 150 mg. Wellbutrin, ringing in the ears gradually increased, mild headaches on top of my head, occasional light spasms around my mouth, constipation, and bladder problems. My sleep was unaffected, and my depression did not lift. My dose was increased to 300 mg, and by the fourth day, I was having serious facial spasms, intense headaches, louder and constant ringing in the ears, almost 'round-the-clock wakefulness, anxiety, difficulty thinking and completing sentences, pounding heart, amplification of sounds, jitters and quaking. I felt like a car, perpetually idling so roughly that all my parts were about to rattle right off the chassis. On the fifth day I took nothing. I've had some chills, a little nausea, headache, neck-ache (Isn't that weird?!) and some ringing, but at a lower volume that's hardly noticeable. This is the fourth day with no Wellbutrin, and I haven't had facial spasms at all in the past couple of days, have less nausea, and the very funky smell produced in my urine from the second week I was on the meds has calmed down. If I'm still in a depression it's been overshadowed by the most awful side effects I could have imagined. It felt like the spector of death was overtaking my body by day four of that 300 mg. dose. I had been on a hefty dose of Zoloft daily for almost ten years and never experienced anything unpleasant other than weight gain, my reason for trying to switch meds because I couldn't quit putting on weight no matter what. I am going to try SAM-e, and suggest that anyone looking for a natural alternative, with the prospect of few and insignificant side effects, do an online search. Whether I find success with the SAM-e, or if it falls short of what I need, I'll post here to let you know what happens. A month ago I thought the depression was the end of the world; I think the cure was worse than the disease.

I work at a computer all day. I have just begun taking Wellbutrin and I have noticed that my eyes seem to be getting more and more sensitive to the light on my screen. A couple days ago, I was looking at a paper and then back at the screen while I typed and, my eyes just went out of focus. It was like I was looking cross-eyed. There were two of everything and it made me really dizzy. I have had inner ear problems in the past and I don't know if the Wellbutrin is triggering them or what. I am not using alcohol or other medications other that Benadryl at night. Has anyone else experienced this? This is scary.

I've been taking Wellbutrin XL for almost a year the highest dose you can take which is 450 mg. When I first started taking it, the side effects were horrible, first with the memory loss, nausea etc. A few months into the perscription I could notice a change, but as time went on I began to feel not so good anymore. I started getting bad twitches right before I was almost asleep. They became so bad that I would wake myself up because my body would jerk so bad. The ringing of the ears had occurred along with an appetite increase. I felt that it stopped working within the last couple months. There is no point to be on a medication that is not working. Also suffering hair loss and my hair is blond and fine to begin with. I just find it alarming that so many people who are taking this have horrible side effects from it. Side effects are suppose to subside overtime, but not in this case. Besides I was also taking Yasmin which is a whole different story because it could of been causing the anxiety that led to me to have to take this medication. So I'm stopping everything because I feel my body is telling me to let be it free of meds. I strongly believe in medications, but not when one med causes a sympton that leads to another med that causes other problems. Like everyone has been saying listen to your body and don't ignore it. I'm tired of being sick and tired! A medicine that is suppose to make you feel better is only making me feel worse. I'm just going to start from scratch again and see what happens perhaps I never really needed anything at all which upsets me. Since the time I began Yasmin up until The Wellbutrin Xl, I've been living quite the miserable life. I don't want anyone to have to go through this ever. I lost out on alot of time with my daughter and I can't get that back. A lesson to be learned perhaps, study up on meds before taking them or combining them with others, we are fortunate enough to have the technology to do so. So think about how you're feeling and whats going on with your bodies. GOD BLESS!

For about eight months or so I have been experiencing pretty intense anxiety. Thus, I was prescribed the generic Clonopin (Clonozepam). After building a tolerance to the increasing dosages I was prescribed, I found myself needing to take up to 10 mg daily. I became as many people told me, "a zombie". I developed extreme depression and constant bad thoughts. After talking to my doctor i was prescribed Paxil. I did not like this whatsoever so about two months ago I stopped taking the Clonopin abruptly. I experienced pretty severe withdrawals, or what i thought to be withdrawals (shaking, sweating, very irritable, constant pain, and anxiety). It was absolute torture. After talking to my doctor i was then prescribed Xanax, which i am currently on. My depression seems to have stayed constant. It was suggested to me to take Wellbutrin rather than Paxil, which of course i would have to wean off from my 100mg a day. Two weeks ago, or so, i started taking the Wellbutrin at 150mg once a day in the morning. After the first week or so i felt "up" more or less, in comparison to how i had been feeling. I began to research about possible side effects. I didn't really find many except mildy vivid dreams and anxiety, which threw me for a loop since i was trying to fight that, right? Well, after the first week i had been lowered on the Paxil to 50mg daily and raised to 300mg of Wellbutrin, once a day in the morning around 7am. I am now on my second week of the anti-depressant, but ironically i feel as if i am more depressed, just in other ways. I feel very lethargic, and i feel as if i am to be very "spacey". I'm not quite sure if it is the mixture of the medications or one in particular. But the most noticeable side effects of the Wellbutrin have been IRRITABILITY!!, veryyyyy indecisive, and ridiculously vivid dreams with little to no meaning. They seem to last for weeks on end at times, and i often find it hard to differentiate what is a dream and what is reality. By no means am i trying to say that this medication will not work for you. Anything to make someone feel better. Whatever works for you is great and you should persue it! Any suggestions or comments to this would be great. And is anyone feeling the same side effects??

Cameron

HEY PSYCHMEDMAN TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK and get off your high-horse. If you listened to patients instead of trying to tell them whats wrong with them and you know better, you will help them. It sounds to me like your more interested in showing everyone how smart you are than making people well. Just because your body doesn't have adverse effects, and even if the majority of the population doesn't, does not mean that people are making this up. I have no other medications, never been treated for any mental illness, and I don't believe I have one, but I have had a physically debilitating condition that no doctor has been able to diagnose for over a year. I have resisted taking anything for a "mental condition" because I know that is not what started my trouble, but I allowed them to treat me for it now because after being in this situation for a while, I am feeling a little depressed.

I did not even think to go anywhere to see about any side-effects or suspect the Bupropion that have have been taking for just a few days until a nurse (yes there are other medical professionals that disagree with you, I know this must be a shock) told me his opinion was that the drug's side-effects out-weigh the benefits, and how surprising, the recent headaches, lucid dreams/nightmares & joint pain I HAD ALREADY EXPERIENCED, NOT SOMETHING I READ ABOUT FIRST were being experienced by others on the same drug. I am not you, everyone's chemestry is different, and different drugs affect us all differently. I hope that you change your attitude and open your mind a little more so you can be more helpful than arrogant.

I will not be taking this drug again at any dose, for any reason. I was only taking 75 mg for 2-3 days and I had these side effects.

I do want to say to anyone thinking of going off this or any other mind altering drug DO NOT GO OFF COLD TURKEY especially if you have been taking it long term and or high dosages as this can be more harmful and dangerous than the current effects, it may cause a psychotic episode. If you want information to back this up, you can see for yourself where several medical journals have been sounding the alarm on several of these drugs at:
http://www.drugawareness.org/ .. don't be put-off by the intro video if you like me are not a Michael Moor fan, I'm not and I still think he is off on a lot of what he says and does, but on some of what he is saying on this point I cannot ignore the statements by medical professionals relaying the findings of academic research, but much of it is unpopular because I believe, the people who have had good results are much like our friend PSYCHMEDMAN who thinks his experience is going to be everyone else's too.

I am also experience hair thinning while on Wellbutrin. I have had blood tests and there is no other detectable cause. The dermatologist said that she was only able to diagnose as possibly hereditary. However, I began noticing it shortly after starting 300mg of Well XL and then noticed increased thinning when I went up to 450mg. I don't take any other medications at all.

I searched the Wellbutrin prescribing information (a pdf on the official Wellbutrin website) and this is all I can find:

Other Events Observed During the Clinical Development and Postmarketing Experience of Buproprion

Adverse events for which frequencies are not provided occurred in clincial trials or postmarketing experience with bupropion. Only those adverse events not previously listed for sustained-release bupropion are included. The extent to which these events may be associated with Wellbutrin XL is unknown.

Skin: Rare was maculopauplar rash. Also observed were alopecia, angioedeme, exfoliative dermatitis and hirsutism.

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Alopecia is hair loss. All that means is it was reported and they didn't do a study that would have produced data with which they could measure the likelihood that it is a Wellbutrin side effect. In other words, people said they were experiencing it but they can't confirm it.

I just dropped down to 300 mg and I'm contacting my shrink about tapering off completely - I feel like dealing with scalp showing through and feeling horribly self-conscious and unattractive because of it is not going to help my depression and self-esteem issues any.

I'm a woman by the way - the number of reports of hair thinning in women seems significant to me. I have no family history of thin hair on the female side that I know of.

I'm glad I thought to check to see if Wellbutrin might be causing my hair loss. I had some natural thinning at my temples before and started using Rogaine for women with great success. Then after my mastectomy and breaking up with a guy I went on Wellbutrin. I am currently taking the 150mg three times a day. I am losing so much hair it's scaring me. It comes off my head all day long. Like others have said I also have a handful in the hour, another handful in my comb and then it just continues to jump ship all day long. I have lost at least half of my hair.

This is the 3rd time I have been on Wellbutrin. Once in 1999, then in 2004, and just started taking it again 3 months ago. The first two times I took it I had joint pain and a lot of muscle inflammation. This go around is different... Just recently, within the past few weeks, I started breaking out with hives, after taking it with no problems for three months! Started on my head and progressively got worse. I break out all over my body, head, legs, back, hands, etc. For some reason it seems to happen more frequently when I lay down in my bed to go to sleep (weird!) One other scary side affect is, I frequently stop breathing when I start to fall asleep, and wake up gasping for air. Has anyone else experienced this?
Since I had never experienced problems with hives the first few times I was on Wellbutrin, I didn't think it was the medication causing the hives. So, I cut my dose in half (50mg/day). The hives didn't go away, so I stopped taking it all together 3 days ago, but still continue to get hives. Does anyone know how long it takes to get it out of your system?

I have been on 150 mg of Wellbutrin XL for a little more than 3 weeks. I am also taking 100 mg of Lamictal a day just upped that dose yesterday from 50 mg both to treat bipolar disorder (which I am not thoroughly convinced I have!) I can't tell which drug is causing which side effect, they both cause a lot of the same things. I have experienced strange dreams and horrible nightmares, itchy skin, hair loss (which I believe is from the Lamictal), acne on my face, back and shoulders, extreme mood swings and irritability, extreme fatigue, difficulty with hand-eye coordination, difficulty with words (speaking and writing), generally fuzzy headed, dizziness, waking at night with a pounding heart, joint and muscle soreness, heavy period that has lasted a lot longer than normal, stuffy nose, hacking cough and that about does it.

Basically, it sucks and I want to go off at least the Lamictal and see if the Wellbutrin is kinder on it's own. I just don't think this is going to work for me. It's been pretty rough the last few weeks, I hope I can come up with something I can tolerate.

good luck all!
~A

My son and I have both taken Welbutrin. I didn't really notice a lot of side effects. I know that it did not effect my sex drive which other meds did. I lost weight, lost interest in drinking alcohol, lost interest in smoking. Had more energy,
My son has had some different things happen to him. He gets real sharpe headache pains in the left top of his head. They come and go away within about 30 seconds. Has anyone ever had that problem? He tried getting off of the meds and experenced all these body pains. It drove him nuts so he went back on welbutrin. The body pains have gone away, but the head pains came back. The doctor said the head pains would go away if he took his meds regular.

I started taking Wellbutrin three weeks ago. I had been taking Zoloft for four years and it had been working fine except my insurance company tripled the cost and I was beginning to have to take more to get the same results. I thought Wellbutrin might be good alternative after doing some research and my doctor thought it would be good for me to try out. Well, since I have been taking Wellbutrin I have become emotional (wanting to cry at things I would never cry at before), more irritable, my husband says "I am not the same person", dizzy, two sips of a beer gave me a horriable headache which lasted until the next morning, I had to sit down on a bench at the mall because I felt like I was going to faint, and worse of all my brain became very "fuzzy" feeling. It was like my short term memory was damaged. I am taking a Spanish class and was doing well (A's). After I started taking Wellbutrin I could not concentrate enough in class to learn, even saying to my professor, "please skip me, I am not feeling well". It was humiliating. I have maintained a 4.0 in every class I have taken since 1999 and completed a masters degree last year. So, all in all-this was my experience. Maybe if I had taken it longer, it would have been different, but it was like torture for me. One positive note....I felt absolutely no internal depression after a week of taking it (other than being upset about the other symptoms). It worked really well in that area.....so, maybe if others do not have all the symptoms I experienced, it would be a very good drug to take for depression-just not for me!

I was on Wellbutrin for several years and have now been off of it for about a month. I believe that some of the side effects that I encountered using Wellbutrin include some short-term memory loss or inability to remember names, dates, etc.
Also am normally a very virile male, but noticed that my erections were not quite as hard while using Wellbutrin. At first I thought it was because I was getting older (now 52) but since being off of it, I'm back to my old self again. I now believe that they do not really know all the possible effects of using Wellbutrin and will definitely think twice about using any long-term medications.

I am on wellutrin paxil cr and clonazepam. I have server miagrains ,dizzyness sleeplessness, confusion, forget things, verry emotional, and sex drive has ran out the door. I know all this from all the medications The Drs have had me on. some hair lose itching skin breaking out rash on arms,legsand face they say ok but not When dizzy I can not walk or drive my car and verry hard to take care of family